Coyotes are basically wild dogs and are now common in the East when before were only seen out West.

Their scientific name means "barking dog." In the West, they howl to alert each other's location. In the East, howling is not heard very much. They bark when threatened.

Coyotes are opportunists- meaning they seize an opportunity to catch prey when it occurs. They eat rabbits, mice, birds, frogs, snakes, insects, and fruit- especially water mellon.

Sometimes they can be seen running across a rural road or highway into a grassy field. If the tail is down, it's a coyote. A wolf keeps it's tail horizontal, while domestic dogs usually hold their tails upright.

Coyotes appear in many colorations. We have two: a typical gray/tan coyote and an unusual gray/black coyote.